Big John Bates

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Big John Bates
File:Big John Bates in Springfield.jpg
Brandy Bones & Big John Bates
Background information
Also known as John Bates
Origin Vancouver, Canada
Genres symphonic rock, Americana, post rock, early psychobilly, thrash metal
Labels Frontman Records, Rookie Records, Alternative Tentacles, Glitterhouse Records, Roadrunner Records
Associated acts Annihilator; Sloan (band); The Real McKenzies; Bif Naked
Website http://www.bigjohnbates.ca/
Members Big John Bates
Brandy Bones
Justine Echo
Ty-Ty the Saviour
Past members Timothy Hagberg
JT Massacre
Leanne Leboucher
Greg Gravy
Brother Kris
Notable instruments
Gretsch Hofner

Big John Bates is a Canadian guitarist and singer from Vancouver, British Columbia endorsed by Gretsch guitars. John plays electric and acoustic guitars along with dobro, banjo and mandolin. His band plays a unique style of Symphonic Rock'n'Roll and includes co-founder and writer Brandy Bones (endorsed by Höfner) on upright bass, lead vocals, cello and violin, Justine Echo on cello and Ty-Ty on percussion. Their sound has been compared to a darker, harder Arcade Fire and they have been tagged as both "Americana Noir" and "a rustic punk orchestra" with Jello Biafra stating the first EP Headless Fowl "is extremely cool" [1] (and including the band in his Alternative Tentacles catalog).

Early life

Born and adopted in Toronto, John moved to Ottawa when he was five. He taught himself to play guitar at age 14, learning songs from American friends in the 1000 Islands, where his family spent their summers. His early guitar bodies were made by his brother Bruce in school workshops and wired by John out of pieces of old Sears throw-aways as they were unable to interest their family in supporting a pursuit of music. After high school John had his guitar and amp stolen, leading him to focus on lyrics and vocals, looking for bands playing and rehearsing in Ottawa. He formed his first professional band Annihilator with Jeff Waters, rehearsing and writing together for two years. After leaving the group John completed business school at college then moved to Vancouver. He continued devoting himself to underground music, performing with the gothic-rock group Bates Motel before creating the Americana persona and musical identity Big John Bates. (Live105, Halifax; interviewer: Floyd).

Musical career

Annihilator
John's musical career began as the founding singer of Annihilator, the "highest-selling thrash metal band from Canada". After meeting Jeff Waters through mutual friends with the intention to cover AC/DC songs, John and Jeff instead decided to write together and formed Annihilator. The band rehearsed 5 days a week over a two-year period to hone their craft as songwriters and began the band's touring legacy with a residency in Val D‘Or Quebec. During this time Waters and Bates co-wrote most of the tracks from "Alison Hell" and "Never, Neverland" before leaving the band. John later co-wrote songs on "King of the Kill" (and engineered the demos for the record deal) and the three following albums. He also contributed a guitar track to "Remains".[2]

Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz
Citing influences such as Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, the Cramps, Reverend Horton Heat, early Alice Cooper, the pioneers of swing music and the new burlesque revolution, the group Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz was formed in 2000. They were the first touring band to incorporate burlesque performers and performed over 1000 shows and festivals throughout Europe and North America.

Shortly after forming the band John bought his trademark handmade Gretsch White Falcon 6136 (after a conversation with Rick from SCOTS and Elvez) from the bassist in Badfinger and it remained his main guitar for the duration of the band. BJB & the Dollz supported such notable artists as the Fuzztones, the Blasters, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Solomon Burke, Koko Taylor, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Boss Hoss and Andre Williams[3] (Dynamite Magazine).

Each of their four albums (and live DVDs) had different drummers but upright bassist sCare-oline remained with the group until mid-2009 when she left to and was replaced by Brandy Bones on the final tours and second DVD. sCare-oline also incorporated traditional and gothic bellydance early in the group's career, dancing while the songs "Whiplash" and "Salome's Last Dance" were played with guitar and percussion. Documentaries in North America on the A&E Network and Discovery Network interviewed John about the influences of both film-maker Russ Meyer and authors Dashiell Hammett and Mickey Spillane on the lyrical content and neo-burlesque styles. Bates' version of "Tainted Love" from their Mystiki album (2003) was the director's choice for the French film "Un singe sur le clos".

Big John Bates
In 2010 Big John Bates and Brandy Bones began to develop their symphonic rock's'roll style with drummer JT Massacre and engineer/producer Todd Simko (Pure) at Faceplant Studios in Vancouver. The Scarecrow Close single was released on Rookie Records and was also available at Hot Topic across the USA. Further recording was done in Nashville in 2011 with Orian Case on drums at Mark Robertson's studio (from the Legendary Shack Shakers). Bates completed the album in early 2012 with Vancouver drummer Timothy Hagberg. The tracks were mixed and mastered in Denver by Robert Ferbrache (Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Wovenhand, 16 Horsepower).[4]

These sessions were split with six songs (and two videos) released in North America as Headless Fowl in April 2012 by Frontman Records and the remainder released in Europe as "Battered Bones" on Rookie Records (Germany) in Sept 2012. The release was accompanied by a March/April 2012 headlining tour of the US and Canada with Murder By Death (band). "Battered Bones" was supported by a Fall 2012 headlining tour through the EU and North America. These dates included the Halifax Pop Explosion (2012) where their performance earned the festival's highest rating[5] among bands such as Black Lips, Elliott Brood, Wintersleep and Deer Tick. They also had their song "Taste the Barrel" featured on the Canadian TV Series Arctic Air.

In 2013 Frontman Records compiled 13 tracks from the sessions and released them digitally as "The Headless Fowl LP". The release entered the Top 10 on LOUD college charts across Canada.[6][7] 2014 saw the band release the 7" single "Black Timber Bitter Root" mixer David Carswell (New Pornographers, Teagan and Sara) on Rookie Records. Their song "Taste the Barrel" was featured on the Canadian CBC TV show Arctic Air.

Bates completed a 22-date headlining tour of Europe in May 2014 and a Can-Am tour with White Cowbell Oklahoma and The Paceshifters in Nov/Dec 2014. On their time off the band wrote and recorded their sophomore LP "From the Bestiary to the Leathering Room" in their recording studio aboard the Caleuche (John's private boat moored in Vancouver's False Creek.) A two-month European tour was then confirmed for May–June 2015 (with a CAN-AM to follow in Fall 2015) and a permanent band was formed with the current members. All BJB albums are distributed by Alternative Tentacles in the USA and Cargo Records in Europe.[8]

Discography

Big John Bates

  • 2015: From the Bestiary to the Leathering Room (Frontman/Rookie Records)
  • 2014: Black Timber Bitter Root (Frontman/Rookie Records 7")
  • 2013: The Headless Fowl LP (Frontman Records/iTunes Digital LP)
  • 2012: Battered Bones (Frontman/Rookie Records LP)
  • 2012: Headless Fowl EP (Frontman Records/Alternative Tentacles EP)
  • 2010: Scarecrow Close (Rookie Records 7")


Big John Bates & the Voodoo Dollz

  • 2010: Clockwork Blues (Frontman Records DVD)
  • 2009: Bangtown (Rookie Records/Stag-o-Lee Records/Devil's Ruin Records)
  • 2007: Live at the Voodoo Ball (Devil Sauce Recordings DVD)
  • 2006: Take Your Medicine (Wolverine Records)
  • 2003: Mystiki (Devil Sauce Recordings)
  • 2001: Flamethrower (El Toro Records - re-release of Voodoo Bar-B-Q)[9]
  • 1999: Vibro-Psychotic (Nearly Nude Music 7")[10]


Bates Motel

  • 1996: Tales of Ordinary Madness (Tomcat Records/Nearly Nude Records)
  • 1988-1992: Various Cassettes (Self-released)


Annihilator

References

  1. ↑ http://www.alternativetentacles.com"
  2. ↑ <http://www.annihilatormetal.com>
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ <http://www.wild4washingtonwine.com/2013/03/day-two-big-john-bates-and-brandy-bones.html>
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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